With the new Absolute Universe (AU) imprint, DC Comics has taken their three greatest superheroes and turned their origin stories on their heads. — Photos: DC Comics
A Batman with no fortune. A Wonder Woman raised in Hell. A Superman who arrived on Earth as an adult, not a baby.
With the new Absolute Universe (AU) imprint, DC Comics has taken their three greatest superheroes and turned their origin stories on their heads. And boy is it a trinity of compelling tales.
The imprint is part of the ‘DC All In’ initiative, which was launched in the wake of the recent Absolute Power crossover event. Overseen by acclaimed writer Scott Snyder, it takes place on Earth-Alpha (aka the Elseworld), which is one of the ‘two pillars’ of DC’s Metaverse (the other being Earth-Omega).
According to Snyder, this new reality is “founded on Darkseid energy”, as opposed to the core DC universe (DCU), which is influenced by ‘Superman energy’.
“In this universe, the heroes come up in ways that make them underdogs. They have a lot less of the comforts and things they have in the main universe,” he explained during a video presentation on DC’s YouTube channel in July ahead of the San Diego Comic Con,
“Without spoiling things in each of the books, they have to be tougher, they have to be more resourceful, and they’ve got to shine brighter.”
This new reality is “founded on Darkseid energy”, as opposed to the core DC universe (DCU), which is influenced by ‘Superman energy’.
The AU officially kicked off in October 2024 with DC All-In Special #1, which establishes the Earth-Alpha universe.
Here, it is explained that Earth-Alpha is created to be a world driven by challenge and turmoil, moulded in Darkseid’s essence, and where heroes are the “small chaos” rather than the core pillars of the universe.
The first official titles in the AU was Absolute Batman by Snyder with artist Nick Dragotta; followed by Absolute Wonder Woman, written by Kelly Thompson with art by Hayden Sherman.
The trinity was complete with the release of last week’s Absolute Superman (by Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval).
The AU officially kicked off in October 2024 with DC All-In Special #1, which establishes the Earth-Alpha universe.
With DC’s three biggest heroes getting the Absolute treatment already, next March will see three more titles coming out under the imprint, namely Absolute Flash written by Jeff Lemire with art by Nick Robles; Absolute Green Lantern, by Al Ewing and artist Jahnoy Lindsay; and Absolute Martian Manhunter, by Deniz Camp and Javier Rodríguez.
Once these three are released, don’t be surprised if DC announces an Absolute Justice League title. (After all, fans of the Justice League animation will probably recognise these six heroes as the founding members of the JL in that particular cartoon).
For now, here’s what we think of the first three titles.
Absolute Batman #1“What’s your superpower?” The Flash asked Batman in the Justice League movie. “I’m rich,” was the answer.
So, what happens if Bruce Wayne had not grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth, but as the child of a social worker and a teacher instead? What if he DIDN’T have the money to buy all his wonderful toys?
Having already redefined and reinvigorated Batman for a new generation during his run on the character in 2011 to 2014, Snyder now turns his attention to reinventing the Dark Knight by taking away his greatest advantage – his immense wealth, and the result is a Batman that is refreshing yet familiar at the same time.
Told from the point of view of one Alfred Pennyworth (who is a secret agent rather than a butler here), we see a Gotham torn apart by crime and currently terrorised by an ultra-violent and murderous gang known as the Party Animals, headed by a mysterious leader in a black mask.
An axe in the shape of a bat? Why didn’t anyone think of that sooner?
We first see Bruce in a boxing gym, a hulking giant of a man who destroys a sandbag with a single punch, much to his friend Waylon’s dismay. Wait, Waylon? As in Waylon Jones, the Killer Croc? Yes, Bruce is friends with him, and also others like Ozzy, Selina, Harvey and Eddie, all AU counterparts of his biggest rogues in the core DCU.
This is just one of many surprisingly left-field yet strangely fitting tie-ins with the DCU that Snyder throws in. This particular Batman is more brutal and bloody, and even wields a Bat-shaped axe, but still adheres to the usual ‘no killing’ principles. The story told here is that of a hero that thrives on fear, but was also born in adversity, and though it’s a far cry from the Batman we know, we just can’t wait to read more about him.
Absolute Wonder WomanWhat if Diana, Princess of the Amazons was not raised in the Paradise of Themyscira, but rather, in the bowels of Hell?
You get a Wonder Woman who rides a skeletal Pegasus, fights with a giant sword, and casts dark magick spells, but ultimately, still the Wonder Woman we know and love.
Just as Absolute Batman was told from the POV of an antagonistic Alfred, here, we get a familiar figure raising a baby Diana in Hell – Circe!
To punish the Amazons for their ‘crimes against Zeus’, the entire tribe has been imprisoned to serve the god. Apollo brings the baby Diana to Circe, who was also banished to Hell, and bans her from saying the word ‘Amazon’ at all.
At first, Circe is content to just let the baby die, but when Diana manages to hold her own against Hell’s demons (and even makes friends with them!), she decides to raise her instead.
Hey Wonder Woman, does Cloud Strife know you took his Buster Sword?
Wonder Woman has always been the most regal and pure of the Trinity, and writer Thompson allows this to shine through even in Hell. Hayden Sherman’s artwork is incredibly detailed and her Diana is beautiful, but with a battle-hardened look that befits a warrior raised in Hell.
The first issue is spent mostly telling the story of how Circe raised her, as well as her fight with monstrous creatures called Harbingers, but the combination of Thompson’s story flow and Sherman’s detailed artwork make this a wonderful starting point for a new warrior princess.
Absolute SupermanThe final piece of the trinity was released last week, and is arguably the most compelling of the three (as it should be). It starts off on the planet Krypton, where society is divided into several class status. Instead of being highly regarded scientists in the topmost Science
League class, Kal-El’s parents, Jor-El and his wife Lara-El, are in the lower-most rung – Labor Guild, who are also known as the ‘People Of Steel’ – the ones who
‘made their way with their own two hands’, and comprising the common folk who do all the menial labour on the planet.
In this Kryptonian society, all citizens have to wear their status on their clothes at all times. Hence, instead of being his family crest, the ‘S’ that Superman wears represents the Labor Guild, the bottom-most rung of the Kryptonian class structure.
The emphasis on the unfairness of life on Krypton and the discrimination that he faced as a child is a huge contrast to the core DCU’s Superman, who was raised on Earth instead.
Absolute Superman is probably the most compelling new take on the Man Of Steel we’ve seen in recent times.
When we finally meet Superman on Earth, he is a full-grown adult who is fighting an evil organisation called Lazarus Corporation.
His first mission in the series is in Brazil, where he helps abused workers in a mining operation, and ends up face to face with an agent who arrests him named... Lois Lane!
While the Absolute versions of Batman and Wonder Woman have skewed a bit darker in terms of their execution, we have yet to see just how dark Absolute Superman can be, except that he seems to be a lot more gloomy and grim compared to the DCU counterparts. So, a Superman who is not a boy scout then? We can’t wait to see how that turns out!
